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Liver cancer. Gross clinical specimen of a sectioned human liver, displaying hepatomas and cirrhosis. A hepatoma is a malignant (cancerous) primary tumour (neoplasm) that originates in mature liver cells. It is the most common type of liver cancer. It develops in patients with cirrhosis, or following hepatitis infections. Cirrhosis is the degeneration of cells and the thickening of tissue, giving the liver a knobbly appearance. It is caused by a number of conditions that includes alcoholism and autoimmune diseases. Symptoms include weight loss, pain and jaundice. Anticancer drugs will prolong life, but ultimately only a transplant will cure the patient. (KEYSTONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/CNRI)